How coronavirus lockdown looked in Wales this weekend

Cardiff Bay was empty of the crowds that would ordinarily have descended on its restaurants, bars and walking paths in nice weather (Image: Mark Lewis)

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It is now five weeks since Boris Johnson appeared in a televised address to announce that lockdown measures were being imposed and governments around the UK put social distancing rules in place.

Ever since, most people have adhered to them, with city centres largely deserted, though there have been plenty who have decided not to adhere to the rules. During the last weekend in April, people used parks in Cardiff for barbecues, as an outdoor gym and, at one point, even to ride horses and carts.

But this weekend, people appear to have largely stuck to the rules, with few sightings of anyone breaching the rules and parks and streets mostly empty. However, police did need to deal with some incidents, including people travelling "totally unreasonable distances" because they were "bored" and a man who travelled from Merseyside to view a house in Newtown.

In Cardiff, the city centre was empty, as it has largely been for the last five weeks.

Queen Street, Cardiff city centre (Image: Mark Lewis)

The Hayes, Cardiff city centre (Image: Mark Lewis)

St Mary Street, Cardiff (Image: Mark Lewis)

Church Street and High Street in Cardiff city centre (Image: Mark Lewis)

It was a similar picture in Cardiff Bay, where Saturday's warm weather would have seen crowds making the most of the bars, restaurants and ice cream parlours of Mermaid Quay, as well as walking along the barrage with their families.

Cyclists riding in Cardiff Bay (Image: Mark Lewis)

The Senedd in Cardiff Bay (Image: Mark Lewis)

Cardiff Bay (Image: Mark Lewis)

And the parks, which in one area last weekend say people turn up in groups complete with horses and carts, were also largely empty.

Police in Neath found nothing to be concerned about during a walk through the town centre and canal path, saying: "All appears to be in order."

Police in Maesteg thanked "the fantastic people" who painted their window in recognition of the work of the country's key workers, and in Aberdare and Monmouthshire they seemed happy that lockdown was being observed.

Meanwhile, First Minister Mark Drakeford said today that it would be June at the earliest before schools reopened. A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We’ve been clear that the next phase for schools will only start when it is safe to do so.